Why do some insist on not seeing the real story in this movie - the real philosophical thrust is the coming-of-age journey. These characters are digging down to their toes looking for who they are and what they want to become. Each situation is helping at least one of this pretty much untested group define another part of who they are. Along the way they also discover that they like the people around them - these will be their truest, closest friends in life.
Trying to insist that this is not Star Trek, or is really bad Trek, because you can't see some huge overlying morality tale beyond that, is actually giving more credit to some of what before rather than just accepting this movie on its own terms. And they are good terms, and a good origin story.
And I really don't understand comparing this movie to ID4 or Armegeddon. This movie is more like compressing Ep.1-3 of Star Wars into one movie, and Star Trek is far superior to that.
Maybe I'll find some time to also go on a rant about Nero - I think he is very credible villain.

yep, it's a great, rollicking, joyous bildungsroman of a movie. the fact that so many Trekkies have a problem with it is very, very telling.

we need to let go. seriously. Trek is now out there. thataway. it's out of our hands. let it go, people.

If we let it go, and it comes back to us then it was meant to be. If it doesn't it wasn't right in the first place... Is that what you're trying to say?